“364”

From Memory of Silence: Sonnets / Ramón García González by Ramón García González, 17th century. Poem courtesy of Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library. https://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra/memoria-del-silencio-sonetos--0/

“I was born with a small army

And what little I had, saddened,

Because I haven’t found a hole that fits

Nor the hand that causes my happiness.

Each time my aim becomes worse

and the little that I have, poorly placed,

that asks me when entering and exiting

scared of so much filth.

I don’t have a coop with a hundred chickens

Nor the money to give them wheat

Even in this I am short and less.

Thank goodness with alkaline batteries

I’m loading the pen into the inkwell

And I give the short ones to the chosen ones.”

This poem, written in the 17th century, perfectly represents the economic state of Mexico at the time. In this period, Mexico was in a deep state of economic unrest because it was a resource extraction colony of Spain, with Spain aiming for silver gains. The unrest in Mexico led to lower incomes for the average citizen, as shown here. The narrator is unable to afford some seemingly basic resources, showcasing his low financial possession.